V-chip

V-chip, an electronic device designed to block content on television. In a number of countries, including the United States, Canada, and Brazil, television programs are assigned a rating based on the amount of violent or sexual content, strong language, adult themes, etc. The rating is broadcast along with the show, similar to the way that closed captioning is delivered. Parents can program the television set to block shows above a certain rating level. Whereas proponents of the V-chip claim that it places control in the hands of parents, opponents argue that it might glamorize violence and sex in the same way that movies rated for adults are often sought out by teenagers. Additionally, it is difficult for parents to distinguish between different types of violence with the V-chip (e.g., reenactments of battles, cartoons, and gratuitous violence). In the United States the Telecommunications Act of 1996 mandated the installation of V-chips in all new television sets from 2000.